2015-16 Season

Miscellaneous

Boise State Rallies to Defeat Utah State 70-63...Boise State rallied from six points down with 8:50 remaining to defeat Utah State 70-63 in a key Western Athletic Conference women's basketball game in Taco Bell Arena at Boise.

Kepilino scores season-high 17 points to lead Broncos to win.

BOISE, Idaho (1/30/2010) - Boise State rallied from six points down with 8:50 remaining to defeat Utah State 70-63 in a key Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game in Taco Bell Arena at Boise. Rebecca Kepilino scored a season-high 17 points, 10 in the second half, to lead the Broncos to the come from behind victory as Boise State improved to 14-7 overall and 3-4 in conference play, Utah State dropped to 11-10 on the year and 3-5 in league.

The game was close throughout the 40 minutes of action in a contest that saw seven ties and 10 leads changes. The first half saw the Broncos take a period-high seven-point advantage into the break at 35-28. Boise State shot 44 percent from the floor, 50 percent (4-8) from the arc and 58.3 percent (7-12) from the free-throw line. Utah State countered by hitting 44 percent from the hardwood, 22.2 percent (2-9) from 3-point range and 50 percent (4-8) from the charity stripe.

The second half was a period of swings as the Broncos opened the half by taking a game-high 10-point, 44-34, lead by the 17:13 mark. Kepilino scored 10 of Boise State’s first 15 points of the half. Unfortunately her last basket of the game came with 12:05 to play when she made a short jumper to give the Broncos a six-point, 50-44, lead.

Utah State battled hard all night as they erased the 10-point Bronco lead early in the second half. Down 10 with 17:13 to go the Aggies began a 20 to six run that saw them go up a Utah State game-high six points, 56-50, with 8:50 remaining on a TaHara Williams jumper.

After surrendering the 10-point lead it was Boise State’s turn to swing momentum its way. Down six, the Broncos picked up their pressure as they slowly cut into the deficit. Melissa Rima drained the second of two 3-pointers from the left corner to give Boise State a 62-61 lead with 2:54 to go.

Utah State rallied to regain the lead on an Alice Coddington jumper with 2:23 on the clock giving the Aggies a 63-62 advantage. That proved to be the last lead and points for Utah State in the game.

Boise State finished the final two-plus minutes out scoring Utah State 8-0 down the stretch. Tasha Harris scored six of the final points with two jumpers and three of four free throws, Rima recorded the other two points on a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to give the Broncos a five-point lead. Harris finished the Boise State scoring by converting on two free throws with one second remaining for the final seven-point victory margin.

In the final nine minutes Boise State out rebounded Utah State 13 to five including seven to one in offensive rebounds as they out scored the Aggies 20 to nine to close the game.

Kepilino led Boise State with a season-high 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds as she recorded her fourth consecutive double-figure point game. Tasha Harris scored eight of her 15 points in the final five minutes of the game, she added three rebounds, four assists and on steal to her game totals. Melissa Rima finished with 10 points, four rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals, meanwhile, Janie Bos added 10 points, six boards and two assists.

Amber White was one of three Aggies in double-digit points with 13 to go with two rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal. Lydia Whitehead added 11 points and four boards followed by Banna Diop with a double-double on 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Boise State finished the contest shooting 42.6 percent form the floor, 36.8 percent from the 3-point arc and 73.9 percent from the free-throw line, including 8-of-9 in the final five minutes. Utah State finished hitting 47.1 percent from the floor, 35.7 percent form the arc and 55.6 percent from the foul line.

The win improves Boise State to 10-1 at home this season. Next up for the Broncos is a two-game road trip to Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State this coming week. Boise State will play at La Tech on Wednesday and NMSU on Saturday in a doubleheader. The Lady Techsters defeated Idaho 74-71 in overtime at Ruston, La., this evening to improve to 13-6 overall and 4-3 in WAC play.